Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-04-23
YUMA'S BOOM.
A Gigantic Enterprise Inaussrated that will be a Grand FizzIe or a Brilliant succss.

CiumA Ssntinel)
 After a sleep of ages, the alluvisl lands of Yuma county are tO be awakened by the reIuyenstlng csressess of the waters of the Gils and the Colorado. A canal system, exceeding any irrigation system on the Pacific coast in gigantic propOr- tiOns, m extent, ID cost, and in area Of rich soil it will reclaim. is now ID process of formulation, and from the Indomit- able energy and perseverance of its originator, and the eagerness hich cap ital manifests to take hold of the matter, We prophecy an early completion of the plans of organization and operation and the ultimate success of the under taking. Col, G, W. Norton. whose skill as a civil engineer was put to the test ID locating the hne of the Central Pacific railway through the Sierras, and whose triumph oyer the barriers that inter posed in the construction of that road demonstrated his ability as an engineer, IS the originator of this new and gigau
 tic enterprise. He It was, too, who drove the first peg m the Mohawk valley, on the Gila, and whose perseverance and faith in the future of that valley caused him to stay with it, until now, 1t has passed the embryonic. uncertain period and emerged into s full grown, active vigorous reality, and will hencefoTth. add Immessursbly to the wealth and prosperity of this county. The idea of an immense canal to convey the waters of the Colorado to the vast area of land adjacent to Yuma, is not new to Col. Norton. He has long had in contem plation this scheme, and having assOci- ated with himself, Nr. John W. Dor rlngton, president of the Mohawk Canal Co, has matu red his plans and submit ted them 10 syndicate of capitalists, who have unquslifiedly endorsed their prscticabilily with the assurance of am- pie financial encouragement. OQl. Nor ton is now at work preparing map, which will be completed in about two weeks when 6 preliminary survey will be made.
 The point at which the canal will be taken from the Colorado IS about twsn- ty eight miles above Yuma. and about two miles below the old Castle Dome Landing, at what IS known as Steven sons Island. At this point there IS a solid rock wall on each side of the river. and the island of solid rock m the cen ter of the IVer, which IS here $50 feet wide, acts As & dam, raising the water several feet and causing rapids On each | side, From here the line of the canal l will run to point on the Gila just be- low Gils City. It will irrlgRte IA OOO acres that he tetween the two rivers A siI foot iron pipe will be laid under the bed of the Gila and for distance of two miles. and the fall given to this pipe will be sufficient Co enable 1t to carry water Co the full capacity of the canal which is to be 40 feet wide on the bottom. A connection will be here made with the Gila, SO that, during the annual rise of that river, its waters wlll be utIlizsd. A beautiful provision of nature ID regard to the Gila and Col orado, IS that when the annual rise of the GIla occurs during the spring months, the Colorado Is st its lowest. and when the Gils subsidies, then begins the summer rise of the Colorado. which, fed by the melting snows of the Rockies, continues throughout the summer ir- rigating season. This alienation m the rising of the two rivers will be utilized in the connection of the Glls with the main canal before referred to. Passing thence along the margin of the higher mesa and subjecting fully 12.OOO acres between Yuma and Gila city to irrigation, the canal will be extended 22 miles below Yuma tn the Mexican lIne, covering fully lJ6,OOO acres of as rich and productive land as there Is on the continent. Should the company, which will be organized under the name of the Colorado and Gila Canal Company, find It advisable, concessions will be obtained from the Mexican Govern ment and the canal enlarged and extend
 T Al N--T ritOry, opening ID fully l,OO,OOO acres more of the rich lands of the Colorado.
 Although this enterprise IS yet m embryo, over S20O,000 of stock has been pledged and by parties who are amply able to fully pay up when called upon. There is no question but that the en- tire stock will be taken and the organi- zatiOn completed by tho coming Octo- Der, when work will begin at once and pushed rapidly tO completion.
 Such, ID brief, IS an out llne Ot scheme. which Ia practicable and will be eonsummated, and which will cause Yuma county to shake of the dull lethargy and inactivity of the past, put on the hsbiliments of prosperity, and assume her place m the front rank. as one of the most prosper | Oua huu uctlEhuAo EtuhAOuH bI AAAb | Pacific coast, and winch will give to the city of Yuma a standing as a commercial center second to no other inland city west Of the Rockies. | Including the lands within the
 Mexican border, here are at least one and half million acres of as fertile land as the sun shines upon, immediately tributary to this I IL. r.rn1nra | fruit known to s semI-trOpic cline, as we'll ss all the leading cereals and vegetables. The consummatIon of this gigantic enterprise will re- suit, not only m the settlement of this vast domain and the building up of elegant homes thereon, and
 the bringing m ot hundreds ot thousands of dollars annually from the valuable products of the soil, | but will stimulate the active de- velopment of the mineral resources ot this county, which are the richest in the Territory, If properly
 aud energesicslly worked.
 Other influences are also al work,
 winch presssge prosperity to Yuma | Pacific Railroad O., already has | tut suENcy TUT AlOu4 Yuma to the head of navigation on the Gulf. and it is only a question of little time when 1t wIll be built. thus bringing this city within three
 hours of deep sea navigation. IL
 is sad that the A. < F. Co. has
 serious intentions in the same dir
 ectiOn. while within the next year
 and hsli, 1t is expected that a road
 will bs in operation between Yuma
 and deep water at Ensensda, Lower
 California
 Taking ell these things into ac-
 count, we believe that the star of
 destiny Is beginning to rise upon
 Yuma, and that in not loug hence its genial besms will shine upon
 thoussnds of happy, prosperous homes in Yuma county, and that Yuma will be the leading commercial city of the great southwest.